cheek
1 of 2noun
ˈchēk 
1
: the fleshy side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth
broadly : the lateral aspect of the head
2
: something suggestive of the human cheek in position or form
especially : one of two laterally paired parts
3
: insolent boldness and self-assurance
4
: buttock sense 1
cheekful
ˈchēk-ˌfu̇l
noun cheek
2 of 2verb
cheeked; cheeking; cheeks
transitive verb
chiefly British
: to speak rudely or impudently to
Synonyms
Noun
- back talk
- backchat
- impertinence
- impudence
- insolence
- mouth
- sass
- sauce
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun He kissed her on the cheek. He's got a cheek ignoring us like that.
Recent Examples on the Web
Chloe Schama, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2022 In his column, published for decades by The Washington Post and, at its peak, syndicated to 550 newspapers around the word, Buchwald often crafted creative, tongue-in-cheek solutions to the nation’s problems. Eric Weiner, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 Koeth called it a loving tongue-in-cheek tribute to Streisand, who reportedly hasn’t seen the show. John Benson, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2022 As much as the comparison may have appeared tongue-in-cheek, the conversation reflects tensions over transit and transportation in San Francisco that have endured for more than five decades. Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Sep. 2022 The 1997 ad was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, Tom Darbyshire, who wrote the commercial for the advertising agency BBDO, told The Washington Post. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 But the pose is self-knowing, maybe even tongue-in-cheek. Chris Willman, Variety, 31 Aug. 2022 McDowell’s itself, a restaurant operated by small-business owner Cleo McDowell, is a tongue-in-cheek gag throughout the film. Talal Ansari, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022 The show was postponed for nearly two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s a suggestion, perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek, that Waters might be winding down. Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2022 Allure, 16 Mar. 2022 There's also support for Spotify Tap, a relatively new feature that lets subscribers of that streaming service directly launch the app and swap between playlists with a few button (or cheek, in this case) presses. Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2022 The department posted photos of the small brown and black mammal crouching fearfully in a mesh crate after capture, with bloody wounds on its nose, cheek and forehead. Tiffini Theisen, orlandosentinel.com, 18 Jan. 2022 The collection, available on Amazon, features eyeliner, lip glazes, cheek and lip tints, highlighter, and a set of mini lipsticks. Christina Butan, PEOPLE.com, 24 Nov. 2021 Because many of the questions will be subjective, the researchers think the city should push the envelope and take hair or fingernail samples and saliva or cheek swabs from participants to measure their levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Rebecca Lurye, courant.com, 1 Nov. 2021 People were seen dining al fresco and sunbathing, cheek to jowl. New York Times, 21 July 2021 One of my favorite Huggs-Era memories is of the 6-5 Martin slam-dancing chest to cheek with North Carolina’s 7-foot center Eric Montross in an Elite 8 game the Bearcats almost stole. Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2021 Some testing sites may ask you to swab your nose or cheek yourself, or spit into a tube. Sarah Krouse, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2020 See More
Noun
Ling Ma’s Severance was half tongue-in-cheek critique of capitalism, half science fiction about a group of New Yorkers fleeing a fatal airborne epidemic believed to have originated in Shenzhen, China. Chloe Schama, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2022 In his column, published for decades by The Washington Post and, at its peak, syndicated to 550 newspapers around the word, Buchwald often crafted creative, tongue-in-cheek solutions to the nation’s problems. Eric Weiner, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 Koeth called it a loving tongue-in-cheek tribute to Streisand, who reportedly hasn’t seen the show. John Benson, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2022 As much as the comparison may have appeared tongue-in-cheek, the conversation reflects tensions over transit and transportation in San Francisco that have endured for more than five decades. Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Sep. 2022 The 1997 ad was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, Tom Darbyshire, who wrote the commercial for the advertising agency BBDO, told The Washington Post. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 But the pose is self-knowing, maybe even tongue-in-cheek. Chris Willman, Variety, 31 Aug. 2022 McDowell’s itself, a restaurant operated by small-business owner Cleo McDowell, is a tongue-in-cheek gag throughout the film. Talal Ansari, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022 The show was postponed for nearly two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s a suggestion, perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek, that Waters might be winding down. Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2022 Verb
The line, out March 21, comprises eight product types: eye shadow palettes, potted gel eye shadows, eye gloss, false eyelashes, cheek and lip stains, a face mist, and a makeup primer just for the undereyes. Allure, 16 Mar. 2022 There's also support for Spotify Tap, a relatively new feature that lets subscribers of that streaming service directly launch the app and swap between playlists with a few button (or cheek, in this case) presses. Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2022 The department posted photos of the small brown and black mammal crouching fearfully in a mesh crate after capture, with bloody wounds on its nose, cheek and forehead. Tiffini Theisen, orlandosentinel.com, 18 Jan. 2022 The collection, available on Amazon, features eyeliner, lip glazes, cheek and lip tints, highlighter, and a set of mini lipsticks. Christina Butan, PEOPLE.com, 24 Nov. 2021 Because many of the questions will be subjective, the researchers think the city should push the envelope and take hair or fingernail samples and saliva or cheek swabs from participants to measure their levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Rebecca Lurye, courant.com, 1 Nov. 2021 People were seen dining al fresco and sunbathing, cheek to jowl. New York Times, 21 July 2021 One of my favorite Huggs-Era memories is of the 6-5 Martin slam-dancing chest to cheek with North Carolina’s 7-foot center Eric Montross in an Elite 8 game the Bearcats almost stole. Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2021 Some testing sites may ask you to swab your nose or cheek yourself, or spit into a tube. Sarah Krouse, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English cheke, from Old English cēace; akin to Middle Low German kāke jawbone
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1840, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing cheek
Kids Definition
cheek
noun
ˈchēk
1
: the side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth
2
: disrespectful speech or behavior
He was punished for his cheek.
Medical Definition
cheek 1 of 2
noun
ˈchēk
1
: the fleshy side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth
broadly : the lateral aspect of the head
2
: buttock sense 1
cheek
2 of 2transitive verb
: to conceal (medication) in the cheek for future use
On March 29, two days before she committed suicide, the staff found she had been "cheeking medications" to save them for a later overdose … Michael O'D. Moore, The Bangor (Maine) Daily News
Michael O'D. Moore, The Bangor (Maine) Daily Newscheek
noun
1
as in mouth
disrespectful or argumentative talk given in response to a command or request any more cheek in this classroom and you'll get a detention Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- mouth
- disrespect
- sass
- impudence
- back talk
- insolence
- sauce
- retort
- rudeness
- impertinence
- rejoinder
- riposte
- wisecrack
- tactlessness
- nonsense
- cuteness
- boldness
- audacity
- discourtesy
- impoliteness
- crossness
- guff
- bluntness
- backchat
- brusqueness
- brazenness
- coarseness
- crassness
- vulgarity
- comeback
- abruptness
- gruffness
- crudity
- audaciousness
- surliness
- curtness
- bluffness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- politeness
- smoothness
- diplomacy
- gallantry
- suavity
- gentility
- civility
- graciousness
- respect
- consideration
- courtesy
- deference
- cordiality
- tactfulness
- suaveness
- affability
2
as in nerve
shameless boldness she had the cheek to blame me for the fact that she had forgotten about the staff meeting Synonyms & Similar Words
- nerve
- gall
- face
- arrogance
- cheekiness
- crust
- brass
- pertness
- temerity
- sauce
- brashness
- sauciness
- effrontery
- audacity
- confidence
- chutzpah
- presumptuousness
- audaciousness
- assurance
- presumption
- brazenness
- nerviness
- brassiness
- hutzpah
- hutzpa
- impudence
- chutzpa
- disrespect
- sanguinity
- cockiness
- insolence
- ungraciousness
- impertinence
- sass
- rudeness
- impoliteness
- hardihood
- inconsiderateness
- back talk
- incivility
- overconfidence
- inconsideration
- swagger
- swash
- self-assurance
- discourteousness
- self-confidence
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- modesty
- bashfulness
- shyness
- diffidence
- timorousness
- timidity
- manners
- hesitancy
- gentility
- graciousness
- civility
- timidness
- courtesy
- faintheartedness
- mannerliness
- courteousness
3
as in tail
cheeks plural the part of the body upon which someone sits he dropped his pants and flashed his cheeks at the opposing team Synonyms & Similar Words
- tail
- buttocks
- backside
- beam
- butt
- bum
- posterior
- rump
- fanny
- rear
- tush
- derriere
- haunches
- heinie
- seat
- behind
- buns
- tail end
- booty
- breech
- rear end
- derrière
- fundament
- bootie
- duff
- keister
- hams
- caboose
- stern
- hunkers
- keester
- bottom
- nates
- can
- moon
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of cheek are audacity, chutzpah, effrontery, gall, hardihood, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.
the nerve of that guy
has the cheek to call herself a singer
had the gall to demand proof
the chutzpah needed for a career in show business
In some situations, the words audacity and cheek are roughly equivalent. However, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.
an entrepreneur with audacity and vision
The synonyms effrontery and cheek are sometimes interchangeable, but effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.
outraged at his effrontery
While the synonyms hardihood and cheek are close in meaning, hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.
admired for her hardihood
The words temerity and cheek can be used in similar contexts, but temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.
had the temerity to refuse
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